Treatment of erectile dysfunction can be broadly classified into two categories – surgical and non surgical treatments.

Surgical treatments for Erectile Dysfunction, or ED, is usually suggested when other forms of therapy or treatment have failed to deliver satisfactory results. They include penile implants and vascular reconstructive surgery. Non-surgical treatments of erectile dysfunction include the following: external vacuum devices, penile injection therapy, and intraurethral pellet therapy.

Intraurethral Pellet Therapy

The Intraurethral pellet therapy is an alternative for people who are uncomfortable with injecting themselves. In this procedure a small pellet or suppository is inserted into the urethra – the canal used for the excretion of urine and semen. Side effects of this treatment may include pain and slight bleeding.

Penile Implants

Penile Implants, or placement of prosthetic devices within the penis, are known to be extremely effective. There are two kinds of penile implants – semi rigid rod implants and inflatable implants. Semi rigid rod implants require a relatively simple surgery and there are also fewer complications involved. However, it is difficult to conceal it as there is an erection all the time. The inflatable implants are more natural as they have the ability to recreate the process of rigidity-flaccidity. The expense of this implant may be a deterrent to a few. However, both semi rigid rod implants as well as inflatable rod implants have a success rate of 70-80%.

External Vacuum Devices

External vacuum devices are quite successful, and they are known to be safe and reliable. They have a success rate of 60-90%. In spite of this, men do not use this device for too long, as it interferes with the spontaneous act of lovemaking.

Vascular Reconstructive Surgery

Vascular reconstructive surgery is yet another option available to people suffering from erectile dysfunction. This surgery can do one of two things

• Reconstruct the veins inside the penis thereby increasing the flow of blood to the penis, facilitating an erection.
• Block the drainage of blood from the penis, allowing the patient to maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Vascular reconstructive surgery restores the process of natural erections without the use of any prosthetics. However, not many people choose this treatment as it is extremely expensive and there are very few medical institutions that have the ability to conduct this surgery. Additionally, this surgery is not known to be effective in the long run, and there have been several cases of relapse.

Penile Injections

In penile injection therapy, a certain drug, or a mixture of few drugs is injected directly into the penis. It is one of the most effective ways to achieve and sustain an erection. If there is no defect in the vascular structure of the penis, injecting drugs into the penis guarantees results most of the time. Keep in mind that the injection should not be taken more than three days a week and the erection will last for approximately 90 minutes.

There are a variety of different treatments available for erectile dysfunction. Some of these are natural remedies, others involve prescription medications, and some even include simple lifestyle changes. Since most research and information has been conducted on proven medical treatments, let’s take a look at some of these treatments and what is involved with them.

Oral Medications for Erectile Dysfunction

The most common treatment for erectile dysfunction is oral medications. There are three main medications that are prescribed most often to men suffering form erectile dysfunction. These are Cialis, Viagra, and Levitra. All three medications work in basically the same way. All of these medications have been proven effective in treating erectile dysfunction. They do not produce an erection right away, but rather allow an erection to occur normally after psychological or physical stimulation. All three drugs increase the effects of nitric oxide in the body. This is a chemical that relaxes the muscles of the penis and increases blood flow. These medications do not work instantly. There is time needed to allow them to build up in the body.

Hormone Replacement Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction

Hormone replacement therapy is used in some men for treating erectile dysfunction. If a many suffers from a deficiency in testosterone, then therapy to replace this hormone could be an option. For these men, this treatment is usually very effective. There are few risks involved and rare instances of complications. A doctor can run tests to diagnose a deficiency in testosterone. If this is found, they may suggest hormone replacement therapy as the best course of treatment.

Vascular Surgery for Erectile Dysfunction

Some men that suffer from erectile dysfunction have had an injury or other trauma to the pelvic area and the penis. They have restricted blood flow to the penis due to the past injury. For these men, vascular surgery becomes an option for treating and correcting their erectile dysfunction. Surgery can also be used if there is a vascular blockage that needs to be resolved. The goal with a surgical treatment is that the blood flow to the penis goes back to normal and allows erections to occur naturally. There is no clear indication about the long term success of this surgery.

Statistics on Erectile Dysfunction

As mentioned before, Erectile Dysfunction is an extremely prevalent condition among men, more so than we would suspect. Statistics claim that one out of every ten men in the world has erectile dysfunction, and in the United States alone, there are more than 30 million men suffering from impotency.

According to surveys done by the Sexual Dysfunction Association in UK, 10% of the men in UK have experienced sexual dysfunction, either temporarily or permanently, at some point of time in their life. The likelihood of getting erectile dysfunction increases with the progression in age. 39% of the patients were in their forties, whereas over 60% of them were in their late sixties. Even though Erectile Dysfunction is prevalent among older men, it is also seen to be rising among men in their twenties.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

There are several causes that lead to Erectile Dysfunction. These can be both psychological and physiological. However, there are a few factors that are more responsible for causing ED than others. For instance, vascular diseases like arteriosclerosis, which reduces the flow of blood in the body, accounts for over 50% of the cases of ED in men who are in their sixties. Diabetes can be yet another cause of ED as it was noticed that 50% of the men diagnosed with diabetes ended up with this condition, some within 10 years of this diagnosis.

Chain smokers are also more susceptible to Erectile Dysfunction. It was found that men who smoked more than 1 pack of cigarettes a day stood 50% higher chances of impotency than non smokers in the same age limit.

Treatment

There are several treatment options for Erectile Dysfunction, which include non surgical treatment like sex therapy, medication, suppositories, vacuum devices and surgical treatments as well.

Among drugs, the more effective ones are Viagra®, Levitra®, and Cialis®. Viagra is known to be effective in about 75% instances of ED. 83% of patients with Erectile Dysfunction arising from spinal injuries responded well to this drug as did 43% of patients with Diabetes mellitus.

Self-injection with prescribed drugs is yet another form of treatment. About 70% of the men declared that they were happy with the results, as an erection from these injections typically lasted from about half an hour to two hours.

A small percentage of patients of ED also go in for vascular reconstructive surgery. This treatment is best for young men whose main cause for Erectile Dysfunction is local arterial blockage. Nearly 75% of the men claimed that the process restored normal function of the penis.